Primary Prevention Checklist
PRIMARY PREVENTION CHECKLIST
| QUESTIONS | YES | EVIDENCE |
| Is the person over 55 years of age? | Stroke risk approximately doubles with every decade after 55. | |
| Is there a family history of stroke and/or cardiovascular disease? | There is evidence of an inheritable component to stroke. | |
| Does this person have hypertension or do they need to be screened for hypertension? | Untreated high blood pressure increases the risk for stroke 3-4 times. | |
| Are they at risk for diabetes or do they need to be tested for diabetes? | Diabetics have 1.5-2.5 greater risk for ischemic stroke. Diabetes is also strongly correlated with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and being overweight | |
| Does this patient have high (bad) cholesterol or do they need to be screened for high cholesterol? | High cholesterol in the blood can double (2 times) the risk of ischemic stroke. Further, high cholesterol can increase the risk of heart disease (an independent risk factor). | |
| Is the patient a smoker, or living with second hand smoke? | Active smoking increases the risk of stroke two to six times. Passive smoking doubles the risk for stroke | |
| Is the patient overweight? | Being overweight increases risk of stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. | |
| Is the patient physically inactive? | A sedentary lifestyle is an independent risk factor for stroke and also increases the risk of high blood pressure, becoming over weight, diabetes and heart disease. | |
| Is the patient a heavy drinker? | More than 1-2 drinks per day (maximum of 9 for women and 14 for men per week) and binge drinking can double the risk of ischemic stroke and increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke 2-3 fold. Heavy drinking is also linked to rising blood pressure and obesity. | |
| Given she is a smoker and at high risk and female, is she on birth control pills or HRT? | HRT may increase a woman's risk of heart attacks, strokes and blood clots. | |
| Does this person fall into an at-risk socio-economic group defined by low education, or lower occupational level?
For example: Does the individual rent his/her home? |
Socioeconomic factors account for a significant proportion of the variation in heart disease across Ontario. Living conditions, education and occupational levels are key predictors of heart disease, an independent risk factor. For example; there is evidence that house ownership is a discriminating measure of SES in predicting risk of coronary heart disease. |
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